Having been troubled by drink and drugs in the past, it is a miracle that Booth is still alive let alone fighting.

And he is now launching himself at one final world title assault having lost on points to IBF champion Steve Molitor last year.

Booth has never dodged a challenge and accepted the double title showdown against Arthur (18-4) at just three weeks’ notice.

The slick Nottingham boxer had just returned from a Christmas and New Year break in Florida with his family when the call came from manager Jimmy Gill.

Booth, 33, has won numerous titles at four weights from flyweight to super-bantamweight, but must beat Arthur to keep his big time career alive.

Promoter Frank Maloney said: “There are so many fighters that find excuses when they get offered a hard job and don’t want to know.

“They should take a leaf out of Jason’s book. When I have a fight for him, it is when, who and then how much.”

Cwmbran’s Arthur, who won a gold medal for Wales at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, is now in a position he never expected to reach in July 2005 - as that’s when he quit boxing.

He took almost three years out, but since returning has won nine of his 11 fights and captured the Commonwealth 8st 10lb crown in October beating Kris Hughes.

He said: “The British title is the reason I came back. I thought it would never happen, but now I am within touching distance.”

In the chief supporting bout Olympic bronze medallist David Price (8-0) has his first ten rounder when he faces South African heavyweight champion Osborne Machimana (18-6-1) in an eliminator for Dereck Chisora’s Commonwealth title.